Plow and mold-board therefor



No Model.)

D. HARGER. PLOW AND MOLD BOARD THEREFOR.

Patented Mar. 24, 1885.

INVENTOR W BY WITNESSES I KQ M L/ a My ATTORif fi Y DAVID IIARGER, OF DES MOINES, IOW A.

PLOW AND MOLD-BOARD THEREFOR.

EzlPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent I\l'o Slhddated March 24-, 1885.

App'icatiou filed December 24, 1884.

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, DAVID Hansen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flows and Mold- Boards Therefor; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to plows and the construction of glass inold-boards for use thereon; and it consists in the construction of moldboard and combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying my invention into practice I form a moldboard of glass, of any suitable thickness to insure security'and strength, and have projections or lugs on its under side to adapt it to fit snugly to the other parts of the plow and to give it strength. ()ne of these projections or lugs extends beyond the edge of the mold-board, and is adapted to fit under the upper edge of the share. The right handle of the plow is set out and secured by an S-shaped brace extending from the bottom of the opposite handle, which, as usual, is fastened to the landside. The peculiar shape of this brace gives some power of yieldingto the lower end of the right handle. Two curved braces are employed, on which the front of the mold-board is to rest. One of the two braces is fastened'to the bottom of the right handle by the same bolt which fastens the S- shaped'braces, and at the other end is secured to the share. The other one of the two braces extends from the upright standard to a point under the upper edge of the share, where it is fastened the same as the first-mentioned one. One of the projections on the moldboard lies between these braces, and the pro jectin'g end thereof, which extends past the edge of the mold-board, lies under the upper edge of the share between these two braces. I also employ a pair of clamps, which are secured to the handle and standard, respectively, and bear upon the upper edge of the moldboard to keep it in place. These are curved,

as will be hereinafter explained, to give them a sufficient degree of elasticity or yielding capacity to keep the mold-board from being (X0 model.)

broken when pressed upward. Ordinarily, however, no such pressure will occur. The tendency is for the share to be drawn downward, and the free condition of the mold-board on its lower edge allows this movement without any injury to it, and without any possi bility of breaking or cracking.

The accompanying drawings illustrate what I consider the best means for carrying my invention into practice.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of aportion of a plow, showing the construction of parts used in connection with my mold-board, and showing the mold-board in place in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a back view of the moldboard,showing the projections and lugs. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan View of a portion of share and mold-board. Fig. 4 is a detail View of the clamps for holding the upper edge of the mold-board.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they occur.

A is the beam, and A the standard.

13 is the right handle and B the left.

0 is the share, and G the landside. The lower ends of the left handle B and standard A are secured to the landside C, as shown.

The lower end of the right handle, B, is set out and held in place by a brace, D, which is preferably of S shape in order to properly fit the space and secure the handles and at the same time give suiIieient elasticity or yielding power to the lower end of handle B. This brace D is secured at one end to the lower end of handle B and at the other to the lower end of handle B, as shown.

Two curved braces (marked E and E, respectively) unite the lower end of handle-B and standard A to the under side of the upper edge of the share. The brace E is secured to the lower end of the handle B by the same bolt employed to secure the brace D. These braces E and E are curved, as shown, and lie alongside of each other to receive between them one of the projections on the under side of the mold-board. Their curvature OQF16- sponds to that of the under side of the moldboard, which fits upon them.

F is the mold-board, formed of glass or analogous vitreous material which possesses the quality of great smoothness, and is totally impervious to the action of the earth, dampness, or any of the intlnencesof the weather,-and at the same time will not be affected by wear or friction of the earth, stones, or other material. It is formed in a single piece of such material, and the lugs or projections, herein after mentioned, are formed integral with the mold-board. The thickness of the mold-board may be such as circumstances may require, the character of the soil to be plowed, and the size of the plow, whether two or more horses are used, or other equivalent powersuch as steamemployed. In my experiments I have found that about threefourths of an inch is about the proper thickness; but I would not be understood as confining myself to this thickness, as it may be increased or diminished according to the requirements of the case, and according as experience or preference may dictate.

In shape and general construction my moldboard may be of the ordinary or usual form employed with iron or wooden mold-boards, and any desired form may be used to adapt it to different styles of plows. I would state that I do not desire to be confined to any particular form of mold-board, as it is evident that any of the ordinary known forms may be employed without affecting the spirit and es- 'sence'of my invention.

The under side of the mold-board is provided with a projectiomf, which causes it to fit snugly and firmly upon the right handle. A lug or flange, f, lying just above said projection f, and extending a little beyond it, rests over the upper edge of the right handle, B, and holds the mold-board in place. A projection, g, on'the back of the moldboard, serves to lie between the braces E and E,-and holds the mold-board on the front edge. This projection 9 extends past the edge of the moldboard, as shown at g, which portion '9 extends nnder the upper edge of the share, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This allows the share to be drawn or forced down by contact with rocks, roots, &c., without jarring, cracking, or breaking the mold-board, and if, when such obstruction is passed, the share springs up again, the mold-board will not be affected, as it will simply glide over the projecting lug g, and if a pressure should come upon the mold-board it will be compensated by the spring-clamps H and I, which are secured the former to the handle B and the latter to the standard A, and bear with a yielding force upon the upper edge of the mold-board. The ends of the clamps which are attached to the handle B and standard A hat e oblong openings, as shown, so that their tension upon the mold-board may be adjusted as desired, and when the mold-board is set in place they may be loosened and tightened as desired.

It will be seen that no strain nor shock nor jar comes upon the mold-board from the operation of the plow,and thatit is not punctured nor strained in being secured to the plow. In such construction the fragility of the glass is practically overcome, and the objections arising to the use of the glass mold-boards heretofore known are entirely obviated, while all the advantages arising from the use of this hard, smooth, impervious surface are insured.

In applying my invention it will be understood that the character or style of plow is not essential, and that any of the known forms of plow may be employed.

By reason 'of the smoothness and non-corrosion of the glass mold-board the plowing is done with much less draft than with the ordinary iron or wood mold-board, and at the same time the furrow is completely turned over without breaking up the earth and commingling the upper with the lower strata thereof, as is the case with mold-boards which do not scour. In the cost ot' manufacture also great saving is effected, as the cost of the glass moldboard will not be over one-fourth of that of the metal mold-board.

In laying the plow away for the winter, or leaving it out over night or at other times when it is subject to cattle coming against it, the mold-board may be readily taken ofl, as its attachment is very simple and readily undone.

I am aware that glass moldboards have been used heretofore; but so far as I am aware they have never been practically successful, by reason of improper construction and mode of attachment.

Having thus described my invention,what I desire to claim and secure. by Letters Patent 1. A mold-board formed of glass or analogous vitreous material, having the flange f, for resting upon the plow-handle, and the lug or projection g g, for resting between the braces and under the upper edge of the share, as set forth. 7

2. The combination, with the plow handles, standard, and share, of the S-shaped brace D, the curved braces E E, and the glass moldboard having lugsf and g, as described.

3. The combination, with the plow handle, standard, and share, of the curved braces E E, mold-board F, having projections g g, and spring-clamps H and I, constructed and applied substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID HARGER.

Witnesses:

I. N. KALB, JAMES H. SMITH. 

